Chef notes

These fries are my healthier version of the classic In-N-Out animal style fries. The usual ones are covered in cheese, mayo and onions. This recipe is a vegan and healthier spin on the original. The fries get extra crispy in the oven (or you can air fry them!) and drizzled with the secret sauce on top with some caramelized onions and cashew cheese.

Ingredients

Caramelized onions (makes 1 cup)

2 large white onions

1 tablespoon avocado oil

Jalapeño Cashew Cheese (makes 1 cup)

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup boiling hot water, plus 1½ cups hot filtered water
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped

Fries

3 medium white potatoes
1 tablespoon avocado oil

Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Chopped scallions, to garnish

Secret Sauce

3 tablespoons avocado oil mayo
2 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

For the caramelized onions:

Slice the onions into thin rings.

In a large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they start to brown, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet and cook onions, stirring occasionally until they are well caramelized (about 30-40 minutes). Keep warm until ready to serve:

For the jalapeño cashew cheese:

Place cashews in a small heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling hot water. Let them soak for 20 minutes.

Strain cashews and transfer them to a food processor and add the nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and jalapeño. Blend until creamy then add in hot water and blend again until smooth. If mixture is too thick, keep adding water until it reaches desired consistency.

For the fries:

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the fries: Cut the potatoes lengthwise into small, thin fries. In a medium bowl, toss the fries with the avocado oil to coat them. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer fries to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown.

For the secret sauce:

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, ketchup, Dijon mustard and maple syrup and season with sea salt and pepper. Stir until smooth.

To serve:

Once fries are ready, transfer them to serving plate and top with the cashew cheese, caramelized onions, secret sauce and scallions. Serve warm.